How to Ask for a Raise (and Actually Get One)

Know Your Number First

Before you say a word to your manager, find out what your job pays elsewhere. Look at current job adverts for the same role in your area, and check salary sites for your job title, industry, and experience level. You are looking for a range, not a single figure — say, £32,000 to £38,000 — and where you sit in it. If you are near the bottom of the range and your work is strong, you have a case.

Remember that pay is more than the salary number. Pension contributions, bonuses, holiday allowance, flexible working, and training all have value. If your employer cannot move on salary, they may be able to move on one of these. Knowing the full picture stops you from turning down a good package because the salary line alone looked small.

Pick the number you will actually ask for before the meeting, and make it specific. “Around £35,000” sounds like a guess; “£35,000, based on the market range and the extra work I have taken on this year” sounds like a case. Have the figure ready, and have the reason for it ready too.

Gather Your Evidence

A raise is won on evidence, not on effort alone. Hard work matters, but managers approve raises for results they can see. Write down what you have delivered in the last year, with numbers where you can: revenue you brought in, costs you cut, customers you kept, projects you finished early, or problems you solved that would otherwise have cost money.

Include the work that is not in your job description. If you train new starters, cover for absent colleagues, run a system nobody else understands, or handle the customers nobody else wants, that is part of your value — and it is exactly the kind of thing that gets forgotten in a pay review unless you bring it up.

Collect anything that supports the story: thank-you emails from clients, good feedback in reviews, a project that went well because of your work. Keep a running note of these through the year, not just in the week before you ask. A list built over months is far stronger than one written from memory the night before.

Pick the Right Moment

Timing is half the ask. The best moments are after a visible win — a project delivered, a target hit, a problem solved — or at your annual review, when pay is already on the table. Asking the week after you saved a client is a different conversation from asking on a random Tuesday.

Avoid asking when the company is clearly struggling: after layoffs, a lost contract, or a bad quarter. Your case may be strong, but the answer will almost certainly be no, and a no in a bad month is harder to turn into a yes later. If the timing is bad, prepare your case now and ask when the picture improves.

Book a proper meeting and say what it is about. “Can we find 30 minutes this week to talk about my pay and my role?” gives your manager time to think, and it means the conversation happens properly instead of in a corridor. Never ambush a manager with a pay request at the end of another meeting.

The Conversation Itself

Start with the facts, not an apology. Something like: “I have been here two years, my role has grown to include X and Y, and the market rate for this job is now £35,000 to £38,000. I would like my salary moved to £35,000.” Then stop talking. The pause is important — it gives your manager room to respond, and it shows you are confident in the number.

Expect questions, and answer them plainly. If they ask why you deserve it, point to the evidence you gathered. If they say the budget is tight, ask what would need to change for a raise to be possible, and by when. If they offer less than you asked, do not accept or refuse on the spot — say you would like to think about it, and come back the next day.

Keep your tone calm and professional throughout, even if the answer disappoints you. This is a negotiation, not an argument. The manager who says no today is often the same person who approves the raise in six months — if the conversation ended well.

If They Say No

A no is not the end of it. Ask two questions: what would I need to do to earn this raise, and when can we review it again? Get the answers in writing if you can, even just in a follow-up email: “Thanks for the chat — to confirm, we agreed I will take on X and we will review my pay in six months.” That turns a vague no into a plan.

Ask about other rewards in the meantime: a title change, a training course, extra holiday, flexible hours, or a bonus. These are often easier for a manager to approve than salary, and they still improve your position — a better title makes the next job or the next raise easier too.

If the answer is no with no path forward — no criteria, no date, no alternative — that tells you something important about the job. It may be time to look elsewhere. But make that decision calmly, after the meeting, not in the heat of it.

If They Say Yes

If they agree, get it in writing before you celebrate. Ask when the new salary starts, whether it is backdated, and whether anything else changes. A short email confirming the new figure and the start date is enough, and it protects both sides from misunderstandings later.

Thank them plainly, and then keep delivering. A raise is also a promise: your employer is paying more because they expect the value to continue. The worst time to ease off is the month after a raise.

Finally, remember the number for next time. Note what you asked, what you got, and what was said about the next review. When the next conversation comes around, you will not be starting from scratch.

Mistakes That Weaken Your Case

Do not compare yourself to a colleague by name. “Sarah earns more than me” puts your manager on the defensive and shifts the conversation to Sarah's pay, which they cannot discuss. Talk about your own work and the market rate, not about other people's salaries.

Do not threaten to quit unless you mean it and have another offer. An empty threat destroys trust, and a manager who calls your bluff will remember it. If you do have another offer, say so honestly and give them a chance to respond — but only if you would genuinely take the other job.

Do not build your case on personal expenses. A new baby, a bigger rent, or a car repair are real pressures, but they are not reasons for a pay rise. Employers pay for the value of the work, not for the cost of the worker's life. Keep the conversation on what you deliver.

Questions People Ask

How much should I ask for?

Ask for a specific figure inside the market range for your role, slightly above the middle if your work is strong. Asking far above the range looks uninformed; asking below it sells you short. If you are unsure, aim for the middle of the range and let the negotiation do the rest.

Should I ask by email or in person?

In person, or on a video call if you work remotely. Pay is a conversation, and tone and timing matter. Use email only to book the meeting and to confirm what was agreed afterwards — never to make the ask itself.

What if my company has a pay freeze?

Ask what else is possible: a title change, training, extra holiday, or a review date when the freeze lifts. And ask directly when the freeze is expected to end. A freeze is a reason to delay a raise, not a reason to stop the conversation.

How often can I ask?

Once a year is normal, tied to your review. Asking every few months weakens your case unless your role has changed significantly — new responsibilities, a promotion-level workload, or a big new skill. If your role genuinely grew, that is a fresh case, not a repeat ask.

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